Wow, still feels so good! It was so refreshing to see a top ten team regain momentum, completely erase our lead, TAKE the lead for themselves and then watch our guys play with ice in their veins! Such a great team effort. I am trying to remember two things going forward that will keep me grounded during this excitement:
1) Michigan State does appear to be in a bit of a slide. However, #9 in the country is #9. What I think is responsible to take away from this is that we can't just go out and slay top ten teams on the road with regularity or anything now, but this team does have the talent to beat VERY good ball clubs when we're hot.
2) We are still a very, very young team that is going to display some inconsistencies. Heck, even our 2005 team had uncharacteristically off games (vs. Iowa in OT, at Michigan, etc.). I refuse to let one disappointing loss in the coming weeks let me lose faith in the vision for this program. I am FULLY on board right now, and I cannot wait to see what we can do down the stretch. A BTT run doesn't look so crazy anymore.
With those two in mind, however, I am still sky high!! Here are my revised predictions down the stretch:
W vs. Rutgers - I predict this one is uncomfortably close, as RU is playing well and we might have a bit of a letdown. However, I think we win in the end, 75-69.
W at Ohio State - OSU will likely need a win badly, and this would usually be a "come back down to Earth" type of game. However, my (perhaps foolish) optimism has us coming into this game absolutely fired up after a lackluster win vs. Rutgers. UI 78, OSU 72.
L at #19 Wisconsin - Wisconsin is good and nearly impossible to beat at the Kohl Center, especially for us. This 72-63 loss will likely have a few of our more pouty fans right back to being negative, but they shouldn't be!
W vs. Penn State - I think, in a similar performance to our home game vs. Nebraska, we handily beat Penn State, this time hitting way more free throws: UI 78, PSU 68.
L at #15 Purdue - I think we look REALLY good in this game but come up short, 77-73.
W vs. Northwestern - In a take-out-our-frustration game and with revenge on our mind, we beat NU 81-68.
W vs. Indiana - In somewhat of a nail-biter, I think we beat the rival Hoosiers 80-76.
W at Penn State - Finishing the season strong with a sweep of a B1G opponent, we handle PSU easily at their place, 78-67.
That would put us at 14-17 (10-10) going into the Big Ten Tournament, likely earning a decent seed. I am going out on a limb and guessing that, behind a great Illini fan showing at the UC, we actually make it to the BTT championship game before falling to someone like Iowa or Wisconsin (not MSU, Michigan or Purdue). I, then, will be absolutely ecstatic for next year!! GO ILLINI!